About the song
Suspicious Minds is a song written by Mark James and recorded by Elvis Presley in 1969. It was released as a single and became one of Presley’s most successful songs, reaching No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and staying there for four weeks. It was also his last No.1 hit in the US before his death in 1977.
The song is about a troubled relationship where the narrator suspects his partner of cheating on him, but he still loves her and wants to work things out. The chorus repeats the lines “We can’t go on together / With suspicious minds / And we can’t build our dreams / On suspicious minds”. The song has a distinctive arrangement with a fade-in intro, a false ending, and a fade-out outro.
The song was produced by Chips Moman at his American Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Presley recorded it with his regular band, including guitarist Reggie Young, bassist Tommy Cogbill, drummer Gene Chrisman, pianist Bobby Wood, and organist Bobby Emmons. The backing vocals were provided by a group called The Sweet Inspirations.
The song was released as a single in August 1969, with You’ll Think of Me as the B-side. It was also included on Presley’s album From Elvis in Memphis, which was released in November 1969. The song received critical acclaim and has been covered by many artists, such as Fine Young Cannibals, Dwight Yoakam, Gareth Gates, and Martina McBride.
Suspicious Minds is considered one of Presley’s signature songs and one of the best examples of his late-career comeback. It has been ranked among the greatest songs of all time by Rolling Stone, NME, VH1, and others. It has also been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Oldies Music